Home Office

Response to Opposition Day Debate: Rural Crime and Public Services

baroness williams of trafford: My hon Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability (Victoria Atkins) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:On 6 June 2018 this Parliament debated a motion about rural crime and public services. Many of the crimes mentioned during the debate, such as domestic violence and modern slavery, know no boundaries and can be found in urban and rural areas alike. However, the Government recognises that certain crimes, such as hare coursing and livestock offences, can be an additional pressure in rural areas.We therefore welcome the rural affairs strategy published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council which, developed following a period of consultation with rural stakeholders, sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that particularly affect rural areas. It is very much intended that the strategy will support safer rural communities and a better rural focus in policing.Members on all sides of the House emphasised the need to ensure that rural communities are not disadvantaged in the delivery or quality of public services to tackle crime. The Government is committed to providing all police forces in England and Wales with the resources they need to do their crucial work. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer made clear at the Budget, we recognise the pressures on the police from the changing nature of crime. The Home Secretary is reviewing police spending power and further options for reform ahead of the provisional police funding settlement in December.In 2017, the Minister for Policing and the Fire Service spoke to every police force in England & Wales about the demands they faced, including many frontline officers. Alongside that, the Home Office undertook a robust assessment of demands and pressures on the police which found that, since 2015, there had been substantial changes in the demands on the police, with the make-up of recorded crime shifting towards more complex and resource intensive crimes, such as sexual offences and modern slavery. Increases in the reporting of high harm ‘hidden’ crimes have affected both urban and rural forces across England & Wales.This work led directly to a comprehensive funding settlement that is increasing total investment in the police by over £460 million in 2018/19. This includes £50 million for Counter-Terrorism, £130 million for national priorities and £280 million in force funding from increases in Council Tax precept income. The pressures on territorial policing were spread across England & Wales, so it was right to enable every police force, rural and urban alike, to protect their funding in real terms in 2018/19, including precept income.Our work on demand is continuing. We are working closely with the policing sector in order to build the evidence base for the next Spending Review, to ensure the police continue to receive the resources they need. The existing Police Allocation Formula includes population sparsity as a factor. The Government will consider the issue of the police funding formula in the context of the next Spending Review.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Foreign Affairs Council - 19 November 2018

lord ahmad of wimbledon: My Right Honourable Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Sir Alan Duncan), has made the following written Ministerial statement:I will attend the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on 19 November. It will be chaired by the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HRVP), Federica Mogherini and will take place in Brussels. The FAC will discuss current affairs, Central Asia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine and Yemen. Foreign Affairs Council Central AsiaMinisters will discuss the EU’s role in Central Asia ahead of the EU-Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 23 November that HRVP Mogherini and Foreign Ministers from the five Central Asian States will attend. The significance of the region has grown as Russia seeks to reassert its influence with countries to its south and as China continues to expand its westward trade routes. There are positive regional dynamics with better cooperation between states, as well as engagement with Afghanistan. The UK supports the EU expanding its activity across the Central Asian region. Bosnia and HerzegovinaMinisters will discuss the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) following the elections on 7 October. The UK will work with partners to promote a balanced and constructive European approach to BiH, focusing on the urgent needs for government formation and socio-economic and other reforms for the benefit of all BiH citizens. UkraineMinisters will discuss the recent spate of restrictive actions taken by Russia in the Azov Sea towards shipping using Ukrainian ports, and the so-called “elections” in the “Luhansk People’s Republic” and “Donetsk People’s Republic” held on 11 November in violation of the Minsk Agreements. The UK supports the need to take firm action on Russian aggression, bringing Russia to account for its failure to fulfil Minsk Agreement obligations, and to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Our long-term vision for Ukraine is for a stable, resilient country that is a net contributor to European security, capable of defending its sovereignty, managing crises and resolving conflict peacefully and with the internal capacity to meet the needs of its citizens. Both Presidential and Parliamentary elections will be held in 2019, so it is vital Ukraine preserves the progress on reforms, particularly tackling corruption and promoting greater accountability and transparency.YemenMinisters will discuss the situation on Yemen and how best to support the UN Special Envoy to make progress towards a sustainable political settlement that will underpin a long-term solution in Yemen. We will encourage all EU partners to support the UN Special Envoy’s proposals for de-escalation and confidence-building measures including the talks that he will convene in Stockholm at the end of November. Council ConclusionsThe Council is expected to adopt Conclusions on Security and Defence, Afghanistan, Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), the Civilian Compact, Pakistan, Water Diplomacy, Sudan and Ethiopia.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Attorney General

Review of the efficiency and effectiveness of disclosure in the criminal justice system

lord keen of elie: My Right Honourable friend, the Attorney General, has today made the following statement:"Today, carrying forward the work of my predecessor, I have published the results of the Government’s Review of the efficiency and effectiveness of disclosure in the criminal justice system. This has been laid before Parliament as a Command Paper (Cm 9735), and copies are available in the Vote Office and on gov.uk.The disclosure of unused material in criminal cases, under the statutory framework of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, is a central pillar of the right to a fair trial and a fundamental part of our criminal justice system in England and Wales. My review of disclosure builds on the operational response by the police and Crown Prosecution Service to the challenges of disclosure under the National Disclosure Improvement Plan. The review sets out the next phase of reforms to deliver sustainable change for the long term.The review identifies the following cross-system themes and makes recommendations for improvement in respect of each of them:Primary legislation continues to provide an appropriate disclosure regime, but in practice the system is not working as effectively or efficiently as it should;Practical reinforcement of the duty to make reasonable lines of inquiry and apply the disclosure test correctly;Pursuing a fair investigation and considering disclosure obligations from the outset, rather than as an afterthought;Proportionate “frontloading” of disclosure preparation and performance;Early and meaningful engagement with disclosure issues by the defence and the judiciary;Harnessing Technology;Data and Management Information;Continuous, sustained oversight and improvement. These themes reflect the systemic nature of the management of disclosure and the importance of everyone involved – including the police, prosecutors and the defence community – playing their part effectively.Cases that are stopped and convictions that are quashed because of serious deficiencies in disclosure are neither fair to the complainant nor the defendant and they undermine public confidence in the administration of criminal justice. However, while there have been too many cases where disclosure failures have occurred; it is not a problem in all cases. Victims should not be afraid to come forward and we must not undermine the progress made in encouraging people to report offences.In order to ensure the Review’s recommendations are followed through, implementation and oversight will happen under the aegis of the Criminal Justice Board."

Cabinet Office

Prosperity Fund Annual Report 2017/18

lord young of cookham: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:I wish to update the House on the progress of the Cross-Government Prosperity Fund (PF) for the Financial Year 2017/18.Created two years ago, the £1.2 billion Prosperity Fund runs over seven years from 2016 to 2023. It forms an integral part of the UK’s Aid Strategy, and ODA commitment of 0.7% of GNI.The Prosperity Fund is grounded on the premise that economic growth, when sustainable and inclusive, can raise welfare and prosperity in middle income countries. It can also benefit trade and investment with partners such as the United Kingdom. Middle income countries present huge untapped economic potential, yet are home to around 60% of the world’s poor. They often seek our partnership and expertise, and opportunities to trade and grow out of poverty rather than traditional aid.As the Prime Minister set out during her visit to Africa in August this year, we need to work with these countries; sharing our skills, our experience and our resources to tackle the challenges we face, and to deliver prosperity and security for everyone. The Prosperity Fund is a key driver of this. It removes barriers to trade, builds prosperous partnerships, and enables international and UK business to seize new opportunities. All whilst helping to meet the United Nations global goals for sustainable development and deepening the UK’s relationships with countries across the globe.Following a review of the cross-government funds, undertaken as part of the National Security Capability Review, ministerial oversight of the Prosperity Fund and the Conflict Stability and Security Fund is now the responsibility of a sub-committee of the National Security Council. The sub-committee, which I chair, ensures that both funds deliver effectively on national security priorities and UK Aid objectives. The cross-government approach of the two Funds allow them to deliver interventions that draw on expertise from across government to tackle today’s stubborn global challenges.The Prosperity Fund’s second annual report details progress made in 2017/18 towards development of the full portfolio: 26 multi-year programmes operating until 2023, across: investment in infrastructure and human capital; innovation and technology; increasing trade; financial and economic reform; and ease of doing business. Priority countries and regions include: Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Nigeria, South Africa, China, India and Southeast Asia.In 2017/18 the total spend for the Fund was £63 million, of which £7 million was for non-ODA activities. Several programmes are already delivering, like the DFID led Centre for Global Disaster Protection which is building developing countries’ financial resilience to natural disasters to reduce economic and social impacts. Others have been allocated initial funding like the FCO led Global Future Cities programme, which is providing support to Cape Town to better mitigate against climate-related shocks, such as their recent severe drought, which threatened jobs and growth in the region. The remainder are going through final stages of approval or procurement before they begin.A copy of the 2017/18 Prosperity Fund Annual Report has been placed in the library of both Houses. The publication of the report reflects the Government’s continued commitment to transparency in the delivery of Official Development Assistance.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

November Agriculture and Fisheries Council

lord gardiner of kimble: My Hon Friend Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (George Eustice) has today made the following statement:Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on 19 November in Brussels.As the provisional agenda stands, the primary focus for fisheries will be a Council Regulation fixing the fishing opportunities for certain deep-sea fish stocks for 2019 and 2020, for which the Commission is seeking political agreement.The primary focus for agriculture will be a policy discussion on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post 2020. Council will discuss two regulations during this item: the first on financing, management, and monitoring of the CAP, and the second on common market organisation (CMO) of agricultural products.The Commission will then provide an update on the situation in EU agricultural markets. There will also be an exchange of views on Task Force Rural Africa (TFRA) and on current challenges in the field of plant protection.There is currently one item scheduled under ‘any other business’:information from the Commission on the implementation of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).